Crystal Ball/K N Rao

History will portray Gujral as a rose thrown on a dungheap of opportunistic political splinters

An astrologer can have no rest in tumultuous political times. Now that I K Gujral has been sworn as India's 14th minister at 10 am, April 21, the moot question is -- how long will he last? I fixed Gujral's lagna on the basis of the date, month and year of birth, even though I did not have the time of his birth. I then checked with a friend who had seen Gujral's horoscope some decades ago. He agreed with the lagna, but asked me to advance the time of birth.

At the mini-seminar we hold every Sunday, we verified 14 events from Gujral's life, as reported in the newspapers, and found them nearly correct. Though the President had still not invited him to form the government, we came to the conclusion that he would be prime minister for a period of three to 18 months. The multiple of the three month period is operating in his horoscope at the moment.

Another horoscope was prepared taking into account the oath-taking ceremony. The combination of Monday and hasta nakshatra are good, but the rikta tithi is very bad. In the context of corrupt Indian politics, it seemed to fit into the types of problems he has to face.

Gujral's horoscope is very unusual. After many years, we have seen a political horoscope that indicates dignity, transparent honesty and love for truth. If such men are allowed to run the government steadily for a long time, a high standard of morality can be set. But this will not happen.

Like his predecessors, Gujral will fall victim to intrigues. The financial position of the country, though, will improve during his tenure. There appears a clear chance of some stability, which reminds me of my prediction of the Congress joining the government.

There are many minor irritants in the oath-taking ceremony horoscope. The TMC and DMK are hurling accusations at each other. The two Yadavs, Laloo and Sharad, are arranged against another Yadav, Mulayam. Yet, the strength of his horoscope will help Gujral overcome them.

Instead of stressing the negative factors, let us wish him good luck. He has a horoscope which pleases the astrologer with its idealism. Contrary to expectations, his foreign policy seems to be a weak point while financial strength of the nation seems to be improving.

Oil, underground wealth, precious metals and what mother earth can yield will make India save a huge amount on her oil bill and foreign exchange. In this area, and this area only, will the new prime minister be lucky. For two years, I have been stressing this silver lining in the new year horoscopes. Now reports have come of Saurashtra floating on a sea of oil, perhaps the richest in the world.

The fact that Jupiter forms a gajakesari yoga with the Moon, Venus and Mercury being vargottama will definitely help him retain him image of a suave and cultured prime minister. But history will portray him, despite the very brief tenure he is going to have, as a rose thrown on a dunghill of opportunistic political splinters masquerading, in their lust for power, as the secularist force in India.

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